1. Field of the Invention
The invention, in general, relates to a method and an apparatus for the treatment and utilization of solid and liquid waste mixtures and, more particularly, the invention relates to a method and a complex apparatus consisting of a plurality of special components for the treatment and utilization of solid and/or liquid waste or mixtures thereof. The invention is particularly directed to a high-yield energetic recycling of the organic components of such solid and liquid waste.
2. The Prior Art
A process is known for the material and energetic utilization of residual and waste materials requiring initially to fabricate a bale of fuel consisting of waste materials of industrial origin which then gasified by the ARLES process, which is a Noel technology derived entrained gasification, whereby the gas thus produced requires desulfurizing by use of primary energy. The residual ash constitutes a fusion granulate. The cleansed and desulfurized fuel gas thus produced is then combusted in a thermoelectric power plant for producing energy (German patent specification DE 198 53 713 C2). This method is useful only in connection with waste of industrial origin and is waste recycling process but, rather, a waste elimination process.
Another process and another apparatus for the thermal utilization and disposal of solid, liquid and pumpable nonhomogeneous combustible mixtures of waste and for the thermal purification of contaminated materials in a fluidized bed combustion is a conventional fluidized bed waste combustion system primarily for the disposal of solid and liquid contaminants by means of a fluidized bed combustion (German patent specification DE 198 59 052 A1). The disadvantage of this system as well as of the MBA process is that for every ton of waste which can either be processed further or deposited in a waste dump it yields no more than 0.3 tons of reusable residue. Usually, the ashes elute and release heavy metals into the hydrosphere. Overall, this kind of technology results in very high and, in the case of many input materials, uncontrolled emissions.
Furthermore, a process is known for the mechanical-biological treatment of bulky and household waste like residential waste involving an energetic and material combination of the biological and physical processes (German patent specification DE 101 25 408 A1). This constitutes a conventional MBA process producing a biological gas which is converted by known biological power plant technology generating an exhaust gas.
Sorted out residue is either subjected to further treatment in a partially known manner or is deposited in a waste dump. Scrap which does not decompose must be subjected to further postprocessing.
At 0.4 tons per ton of waste, the residue which either requires further processing or must be deposited in a waste dump is relatively high. 40% of the input cannot be put into a waste dump and must be treated further by complex processes. Upon contact with water, deposited material from this process will become biologically active again and generate the undesired gas mixture of methane and other gases detrimental to the climate.